Monday, December 10, 2012

Puzzler: ynapmoC & seldooN

Upon returning to my truck after enjoying a tasty repast at Noodles & Company, I noticed the restaurant's illuminated signage reflected in my side view mirror.


Wait a minute! The reflected message was not "reversed" in typical mirror fashion. I turned to see the signage as it appears on the building.


Once suitably ensconced in the driver's seat, all was again right with the world. The letters were reversed as they should be.



What is your explanation?

[A few years ago, I sent this optical oddity in to Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers (NPR's Car Talk personalities, Tom and Ray Magliozzi). But it was apparently too lousy for them to use, despite being quasi-automotive! Oh well.]

3 comments:

John Millard said...

Is the image in the mirror a reflection of the image reflected by the driver's side window? In other words, an image twice reflected and twice right left reversed?

John Millard said...

Is the image in the mirror a reflection of the image reflected by the driver's side window? In other words, an image twice reflected and twice right left reversed?

Kurt Zeppetello said...

My guess is that it is a double reflection, 1st off the window then to the mirror which made it appear "normal".